FreeAgent and PCG join forces to support new and established freelancers

May 3, 2011 - PRLog -- FreeAgent, the award winning online accounting system for freelancers and small businesses, has linked-up with PCG – the voice of freelancing, to help its members get on top of their finances.

PCG members will be able to subscribe to FreeAgent, which was voted Best SME Accounting Software in 2010, at a reduced rate.

FreeAgent helps people get a clear picture of their financial position, and users say they feel it puts them back in control of their finances.  Hosted ‘in the cloud’, FreeAgent is accessible around the clock from any internet connection, which is ideal for the way many freelancers and small business owners work.  Much more intuitive and accessible than conventional accounting software, users can send invoices, track time and expenses as well as monitor the financial health of their business and manage projects and payments. Uniquely it also automatically prepares and files VAT returns, projects self-assessed income tax and corporation tax obligations and helps manage payroll.

Ed Molyneux, founder and CEO of FreeAgent (http://www.freeagentcentral.com), says: “When we created FreeAgent we were all freelancers or contractors.  We built it specifically to meet the needs you have when you are working for yourself or running a small business and want to manage your finances. So we are delighted that by working with PCG we will enable more people in that position to use our service.”

Working trends over a number of years as well as some more recent and stark economic factors have seen many more people becoming self-employed. While total employment rose by 0.8% between 2009 and 2010, the number of self-employed people increased by 2.4% to 3.98 million (Office for National Statistics, GDP and the Labour Market, 2010).

The move to freelance working can be daunting and challenging but both FreeAgent and PCG are dedicated to helping these individuals to face the legislative and practical challenges of starting and growing their own businesses.

Iain McIlwee, Head of Commercial Development at PCG, says: “Britain’s growing freelance workforce plays an essential role in our economy. FreeAgent has a good track record of helping freelancers so I am delighted that we have secured a great discount for our members and will be working more closely with the team there.”

PCG was formed in May 1999, specifically to provide independent contractors and consultants with a representative voice in opposition to the original IR35 proposals.

Since then, it has grown to become the main voice and professional body representing these businesses and individuals, and now has in excess of 20,000 members who can benefit from a huge range of advice and information it makes available, as well as an open and friendly community of other freelancers.

All FreeAgent accounts start with a 30-day free trial, and are charged on a monthly, pay-as-you-go basis starting from £15 per month. There's no commitment to sign up, and you can cancel at any time.  To sign-up for a month's free trial and find out more about what FreeAgent can do visit http://www.freeagentcentral.com.

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About FreeAgent:

FreeAgent has pioneered online accounting since the launch of its service in 2007, rapidly growing a loyal community of thousands of freelancers and small business users.

FreeAgent offers real-time projections of tax liabilities including VAT, Self Assessment Income Tax and Corporation Tax. Users can also analyse bank statements, see live profit and loss reports, send and track invoices, track time and expenses, and manage projects.

The company is run by founders Ed Molyneux, Olly Headey and Roan Lavery who – originally freelancers themselves - needed a finance tool that would give them a clear picture of their business accounts and so FreeAgent was born.

When surveyed, a remarkable 99.5% of users said they would recommend FreeAgent to their friends, and it was voted Best SME Accounting Software in the 2010 Software Satisfaction Awards. FreeAgent is listed in the Tech Media Invest 100 list published by the Guardian in 2010.

www.freeagentcentral.com